Five Things to Know About Emerald Waterways' Sky Cruise Ship

One of Emerald Sky’s best features is the heated mosaic-tiled pool, which is located under a retractable glass roof so guests can take a dip no matter what the weather. Here’s the best part: at night, the pool’s bottom is raised and the area transforms into a small cinema, complete with lounge chairs and boxes of popcorn. You can even order cocktails from the nearby bar.

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Want to work off that breakfast buffet? In 2017, Emerald launched EmeraldActive excursions, free hiking and biking tours for passengers who want to burn calories while they see the sights. Among the offerings: a guided uphill hike to Austria’s Durnstein Castle, a 23-mile biking tour of the Wachau Valley, and a city bike tour of Belgrade.

The sleek, white-on-grey cabins feel modern and airy, especially if you choose a Panorama Balcony Suite, which has a wall-size window. (The top half lowers at the flick of a switch.) Right next to it is a “decking area,” with a wood-paneled floor and two deck chairs, so passengers feel as if they’re sitting on an outdoor balcony. Guests who want to splurge on a true veranda can go for the Grand Balcony Suite or the Owner’s One Balcony Suite, while the cost-conscious can opt for a Single Stateroom or a stateroom with a picture window.

Dinner happens at Reflections Restaurant, where passengers sit down to an elegant four-course meal and complimentary choices of red or white wine. During the day, there are breakfast and lunch buffets here, as well, but if the weather is fine, you’ll want to eat your meals al fresco, either at The Terrace restaurant on the bow, or at the Sky Barbecue grill on the sun deck.

Along with complimentary excursion at every port, Emerald also offers at least one free “EmeraldPlus” tour or event, the line’s way of helping passengers take a deep dive into the local culture. For example, on the Treasures of the Danube cruise, guests might be treated to lunch at a locals’ house in Vukovar, Croatia, then afternoon tea with a Slovakian family in Bratislava.